Editors' Picks Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan is selected by the Carolina Panthers as the eighth overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field today Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan shows off a necklace referencing Waimanalo and his jersey number on the red carpet before the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field today McMillan says “NALO” also stands for his mantra Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan catches a touchdown against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the Territorial Cup at Arizona Stadium in November Waimanalo-born McMillan was chosen eighth by the Carolina Panthers in today’s NFL Draft Arizona Wildcats’ Tetairoa McMillan gives a lei to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after the Waimanalo-born wide receiver was chosen eighth overall by the Carolina Panthers in the NFL Draft at Lambeau Field today NFL commissioner Roger Goodell posed with Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan after the Waimanalo-born wide receiver was chosen eighth overall by the Carolina Panthers in the NFL Draft at Lambeau Field today Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan with his parents Shawn Dutro and Wyatt McMillan on the red carpet before the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field today Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan walks down the Wildcat Walk before a game against Texas Tech at Arizona Stadium in October Waimanalo-born Tetairoa McMillan was the first pure wide receiver off the board in Thursday’s first round of the NFL Draft selecting the former University of Arizona star with the No was named an All-American last season after leading the Big 12 in receiving yards (1,319) edging Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter by 61 yards Hunter who stars at receiver and cornerback went second overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars McMillan’s junior campaign was highlighted by a 10-catch four-touchdown explosion against New Mexico in the season opener and a 10-catch 202-yard showing against West Virginia in late October The 22-year-old scored at least eight touchdowns for the third straight year totaling 26 scores and 3,423 yards on 213 receptions during his productive career with the Wildcats McMillan arrived in Tucson in 2022 as the highest-ranked recruit in Arizona program history McMillan wore a lei made by his grandmother and also presented a lei to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after making his way from the green room to the draft stage in Green Bay He was the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year this past season three years after winning the high school award as a senior at Servite in California Asked by ESPN reporter Molly McGrath what it meant to be the latest in a long line of Hawaii-born NFL players McMillan said: “It’s a blessing the people that came before me is the people that laid the foundation and set the precedent for me to be successful today so … I’m trying to put on for the Polynesian culture and make everybody proud.” McMillan joins a Panthers team coming off a 5-12 season Asked what he can contribute to the offense right away “I’m ready to do whatever it takes teammates that are ready to play for me and I’m ready to play for them.” A 22-year-old motorcyclist died Tuesday afternoon after he crashed into a flatbed truck in Waimanalo according to Honolulu Emergency Medical Services officials EMS said paramedics responded about 3:45 p.m to a crash near the intersection of Mahailua and Waikupanaha streets The victim “suffered life-ending injuries” and paramedics assisted with the death pronouncement at the scene The Honolulu Police Department’s Traffic Division said that a 59-year-old male motorist with a trailer in tow was traveling south on Mahailua Street when it came to the intersection of Mahailua Street and Waikupanaha Street The motorist attempted to make a left turn onto Waikupanaha Street when he was broadsided by the motorcyclist who was traveling west on Waikupanaha Street at a high rate of speed The motorcyclist was ejected onto the roadway and struck by the trailer of the motor vehicle The motorist remained at the scene and was not injured HPD said that speed appears to be a contributing factor in the crash but drugs and alcohol do not appear to have contributed This was Oahu’s 19th traffic fatality this year compared with nine at the same time in 2024 Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More Two fires at the Waimanalo Convenience Center Monday night have temporarily closed the facility according to the city’s Department of Environmental Services The Honolulu Fire Department responded to the fires — one in a large 40-cubic-yard bin and another in a trash compactor the cause of the fires was not related to city operations ensure safety and restore the site for public access on Tuesday The facility is expected to reopen Wednesday ENV encourages residents to hold on to their waste until the facility reopens or find an alternate city disposal site Waimanalo-born Tetairoa McMillan was the first pure wide receiver off the board in Thursday’s first round of the NFL Draft The City and County of Honolulu and consultant for an improvement project at Waimanalo Beach Park invite the community to discuss the reconstruction of two comfort stations after hearing of concerns being raised by residents.  22 at Waimanalo Public & School Library located in Waimanalo Elementary & Intermediate School will discuss options for the two comfort stations including design Public meetings were held in June 2023 and February 2024 for the overall reconstruction project at Waimanalo Beach Park that included improvements to Pahinui Pavilion and recreation building that are currently progressing Following the Jan. 22 meeting, copies of the options will be available on the Department of Parks and Recreation website HONOLULU — The state Board of Land and Natural Resources on Friday set aside nearly 11 acres of Department of Land and Natural Resources land in Waimanalo for a kauhale housing project Aunty Blanche McMillan currently provides housing for 80 individuals at the community homeless shelter Hui Mahiʻai ʻĀina that has been on the site since 2020 without BLNR approval “DLNR expressed a willingness to have nonprofit entities engage in helping occupants obtain proper authorization to be on the land.” The main concern is that the location of the homeless shelter sits in a flood zone A topographical study has been done and aio Foundation will build the new housing project an elevated area within the same property has been selected to develop the kauhale project The remaining areas of the property will be put to agricultural use to support the community village “The department is in full support of this project Under the collaboration with aio Foundation DLNR was reassured that our concerns were addressed when I visited Aunty Blanche’s Hui Mahi‘ai ‘Āina in Waimanalo I was moved by the sense of community the residents felt for each other for the place and for themselves,” stated DLNR Chair Dawn Chang in the release the Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions and nonprofit aio Foundation will build the village off of Oluolu and Hilu streets The proposed project will have 32 single units six family units and two units for cancer patients There will be a shared kitchen and bathroom facilities This type of public-private partnership created the 144-unit community Kahauiki Village built by aio Foundation that houses nearly 700 adults and children near the Daniel K Because the property is under a set-aside with the City and County of Honolulu the city issues a lease to the aio Foundation The same approach will be in place for the Waimanalo property in which aio Foundation will obtain a lease from SOHSS The BLNR will have to consent to the lease at a future meeting when more specific terms and conditions are available The DLNR also states that Chapter 343 Environmental Assessment of the project was suspended by Governor’s Proclamation dated Jan “to the extent necessary to expedite the provision of housing for homeless persons.” Affectionately known as Aunty Blanche by those she has helped over the last five years McMillan is excited for the future as new tiny homes will eventually be built and the existing area will be converted to food production for the community Most important is “sharing and how to give back and how to love our people,” said McMillan our kūpuna and even sick folks with stage 4 cancer is my style I love it and I love teaching other people how to care I believe that everything is going to fall in place.” No one is prouder of the upcoming Waimānalo Ho‘olaule‘a than organizer Kalani Kalima who has big dreams of restoring hope and commitment in his community There was a time when a sumo career was in the cards for Kalani Kalima it was three decades ago when everything seemed to be guiding him toward a life of wearing mawashis and battling rikishi in dohyōs Older brother George had made the move to Tokyo in 1988 to join the professional sumo wrestling ranks as Yamato Gō Chad Rowan — who would go on to compete as Akebono Tarō and become the first non-Japanese-born wrestler to reach the sport’s highest rank of yokozuna — had preceded George by just a few months when it was time for Kalima to graduate from high school in 1993 he felt prepared because he had already been anticipating a long stay in the Land of the Rising Sun “I was the biggest guy at Kaiser High School taking Japanese No football player takes Japanese — not one lineman and not someone from Waimānalo … from homestead,” recalls Kalima who had also spent two summers in Tokyo training at a beya I’m taking shorthand — just to prepare for my eventual move.” like some sumotori performing a well-executed uchigake fate would ultimately trip up his best-laid plans sumo stables stopped actively recruiting foreign wrestlers due and that left Kalima and other young hopefuls not knowing what they should do the then-18-year-old refused to waste time lying on life’s mat after being floored by the sudden turn of events he got back on his feet and began focusing on his own culture “I came to that fork in the road and I was like I’m going to be a part of the ‘Ohana Council and the Hawaiian sovereignty movement and everything else and I’m going to go to the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and learn about my history who eventually earned degrees in Hawaiian studies and elementary education the large man who once had big sumo aspirations spends his time impacting others in two main ways: first as an advocate and leader for the nonprofit Nā Kua ‘Āina O Waimānalo; and second where he encourages students to embrace their Hawaiian history and learn concepts such as “building relationships first The result is someone who is quite proud of where life’s path has led him and “I got into teaching and community advocacy not for the income “I still believe I can make a difference because I believe in the power of one.” By “one,” Kalima is referring to his single-minded pursuit of restoring pride hope and commitment in residents of his beloved Waimānalo His unwavering mission to help and inspire others will be manifest when thousands gather for the first-ever Waimānalo Ho‘olaule‘a the event follows that morning’s huaka‘i — the annual Waimānalo Christmas Parade Kalima chose the theme Makalehua O Waimānalo (“the pride of Waimānalo”) “Makalehua O Waimānalo is going to focus on building resilience and re-instilling pride and aloha in our community,” he explains we used to have events like Waimānalo Carnival with EK Fernandez we have a culminating event that will bring the whole community together.” Although the festival is expected to have all the familiar trappings of a community-wide celebration — food vendors live music — it will also serve as an informational hub for college financial aid assistance it will steer interested young adults toward job training and employment opportunities with various professions and trade unions including Iron Workers Union and International Brotherhood of Local Workers “A lot of our people are good with their hands but they don’t want to go back to college,” Kalima explains let’s find them a livable wage — let’s provide them a skill to help maintain their homes they’re the beneficiaries when their parents pass away and yes but a lot of our people are not ma‘a when it comes to upkeeping and maintaining the house As for those still committed to higher-education pursuits Kalima and his nonprofit plan to use “100% of our vendor fees” to fund college scholarships “I know that (might seem like) nothing for our keiki going out to colleges and universities in the states But I also know that sometimes as a college student you have to wait for a while before your funding drops that $1,000 might be just enough for them to go eat at In-N-Out Burger or for transportation needs until their financial aid kicks in,” he says The motivation for Waimānalo Ho‘olaulea can be attributed to a conversation Kalima had with a hulu kupuna more than a year ago and that community elder’s ongoing fight with the city to have the Waimānalo District Park gymnasium reopened “This is the second generation of those who cannot use the gym … it’s all fenced up and it’s been like that for over 15 years,” Kalima explains “But it’s sports programs like PAL and Summer Fun and everything else that goes on there that bring the community together and that teach hard work and everything else that our keiki need to grow into productive citizens the kids from Waimānalo just don’t have any pride,’ and when I hear the worries of a kupuna like that Kalima pauses briefly to consider his own responsibility moving forward “Those who have the privilege of knowing have the duty to act,” he says “and I feel a duty to move and a duty to act.” Waimānalo Ho‘olaule‘a is about more than just having pride in the present and future — it’s about embracing the past Kalima intends to pay tribute to local sumotori who passed away earlier this year — including his brother both of whom he affectionately refers to as “native sons of Waimānalo and our hometown heroes.” They went around the world and they brought pride to us because we knew they came from humble beginnings.” The tribute will be a fitting way to memorialize rikishi who have yet to receive the proper respect since their deaths in January and April As the president of Nā Kua ‘Āina O Waimānalo — a group that over the years has not only been responsible for halting the bulldozing of Sherwood Forest and preserving “the place with the oldest graveyard in all of Hawai‘i,” but also saving 81 acres of Kaiwi Mauka lands from development — Kalima admits that he’s always down “for a good kū‘ē as well as the obligation to break “the victim mindset” among residents and repair aspects of the community’s culture is the perfect opportunity to continue doing just that “We gotta have balance in our lives — we gotta take time to celebrate life,” Kalima says “We also gotta break the sense of entitlement — the ‘they owe us this,’ or ‘they did this to us’ and everything else We gotta teach people that nobody owes you anything but you gotta learn to stand on your own two feet and make our kūpuna proud.” /**/ is a nod to tradition and offers a taste of what’s next a Waimanalo native who became a top wide receiver prospect on the mainland was taken eighth overall by the Carolina Panthers on Day 1 of the NFL Draft in Green Bay who attended Servite High School in Anaheim spent three years at Arizona before becoming the second receiver taken in the 2025 draft Colorado two-way standout Travis Hunter was taken by the Jacksonville Jaguars at No He raised his arms as he made his way onto the stage at Lambeau Field hugged Roger Goodell and placed a lei on the commissioner The moment T-Mac became a Panther#NFLDraft on NFLN, ABC & ESPN | April 24 - April 26 pic.twitter.com/lg6vCNAkAN it’s a blessing,” McMillan told the ESPN broadcast of becoming the latest player of Polynesian descent from Hawaii to make it to the NFL the people that came before me is the people that laid the foundation and set the precedents for me to be successful today I’m trying to put on for the Polynesian culture and making everybody proud.” The 6-foot-5 junior had 84 catches for 1,319 yards and eight touchdowns in the 2024 season He was named a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award for the nation’s top wide receiver and earned a spot on the All-Big 12 first team who participated in the 2022 Polynesian Bowl on Oahu became the first Arizona receiver to be taken in the first round a Heisman Trophy winner and the first pick of the 2023 draft and play for second-year head coach Dave Canales I’m ready to do whatever it takes," he told ESPN "I know I got a quarterback I can trust in a coaching staff that believes in me and teammates that are ready to play for me and I’m ready to play for them Sky’s the limit for this organization and I can’t wait." Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com Department of Environmental Services HONOLULU – The City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Environmental Services (ENV) is pleased to announce the reopening of the Waimānalo Convenience Center today following a swift cleanup effort in response to fires at the facility Monday night The fires were contained to a 40-cubic-yard bin and a trash compactor Honolulu Fire Department personnel responded and extinguished the two fires  ENV teams acted quickly to ensure safe disposal of the fire debris at the Kapa‘a Transfer Station and conducted necessary site inspections to confirm the facility’s operational readiness The Waimānalo Convenience Center has resumed its normal operating hours of 7 a.m Residents are reminded to follow posted guidelines for waste disposal and recycling to help maintain a safe and efficient service For more information on acceptable materials and disposal procedures, visit www.envhonolulu.org or call (808) 768-3200 Copyright © 2025 Department of Environmental Services Subscribe! Honolulu Magazine | Honolulu Family Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in July 2021 and updated in May 2024 Photo: Courtesy of Waimānalo Country Farms I venture over the Pali for what I expect will be a stereotypical farm visit I’m expecting to feed the resident goats pigs and cows and fill my Instagram feed with gorgeous summer sunflowers What I don’t expect is an entirely unusual foodie find I fill up my phone’s data plan with photos of the blooms and head up to the top of the family-run property at the base of the Ko‘olau That’s when I spot the sign: “Grilled Sunflower Heads $10.” Excuse me I’m always on the hunt for the newest trend or unique bite I order one and wander over to the outdoor kitchen to watch the grill master at work Turns out that when sunflowers start drooping in the fields the family harvests the heads and removes the petals Then the grill master brushes the sunflower heads with oil salt and pepper and places them seed-side down on the grill He judges by feel when they’re ready to pull off Then he plates up the flower heads and adds a final dusting of grated Parmesan cheese He hands me my sunflower straight off the grill scraping the seeds out with a fork and shoveling piles of them into my mouth The experience is nothing like eating roasted sunflower seeds The texture is chewy and soft and the flavor savory and nutty It reminds me of eating an artichoke heart It takes some time and patience to scrape out all the seeds I love the idea of turning something old into something new again—sustainability at its best Especially when this farm-to-table experience is more like table-on-farm: sitting at a picnic table looking out over the sunflowers to Waimānalo Beach and the ocean beyond listening to the friendly moos and oinks of the cows and pigs Doesn’t get any more farm-fresh than this The summer sunflower event runs through July 4 SEE ALSO: We Tried It: Summer Sunflower Event at Waimānalo Country Farms The summer sunflower event is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through July 4. 41-225 Lupe St., Waimānalo, (808) 306-4381, waimanalocountryfarms.com, @waimanalocountryfarms volunteers gather in Waimanalo to search for invasive coqui frogs Coqui are nocturnal tree frogs, spanning 1 to 2 inches. They were accidentally introduced to Hawaii Island in the 1980s, where they reach densities two to three times higher than in their native Puerto Rico since they have no natural predators. The frogs have been found in small numbers on Oahu Officials are worried about how they are disrupting Hawaii’s native ecosystems and community members are concerned about the loud noises they make roughly the noise level of a motorcycle engine Volunteers and staff from the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and the Oahu Invasive Species Committee team up every Thursday to remove as many coqui as possible listening for the frogs’ distinct “KO-kee” calls they are captured by hand or trapped in a long tube.  the frogs are taken to a holding container and sent to the HDOA which collects information about the numbers of males and females The location of each captured frog is also recorded in order to determine the spread (or reduction) of the population.  When several frogs can be heard but not seen officials spray citric acid over the foliage so they are highly sensitive to chemical contact and the spray solution will kill coqui eggs Once it hits the surfaces of the soil or plant material it doesn't stay in the environment very long,” said DOFAW Field Technician Ryan Chang in the news release.  eating Hawaii’s native insects and spiders They can also compete with native birds and fauna who rely on insects for food and with native flora which rely on insects for pollination Coqui also harm native wildlife like the endangered ʻōpeʻapeʻa (hoary bat) and pueo (Hawaiian short-eared owl) which rely on their acute hearing to hunt.  DLNR encourages people of any age to take part in the coqui removal efforts in Waimanalo — the second and third Thursdays of each month are nights for less-experienced hikers “We have volunteers that come every single week and they notice how things are changing,” Chang said HONOLULU – The City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Environmental Services (ENV) has temporarily closed the Waimānalo Convenience Center following fires at the facility last night The Honolulu Fire Department responded swiftly extinguishing two fires – one in a large 40-cubic-yard bin and another in a trash compactor Initial assessments indicate the cause of the fire was not related to city operations ENV crews are now working diligently to assess damage The facility is expected to reopen tomorrow Residents are encouraged to hold onto their waste until the Waimānalo Convenience Center reopens or utilize an alternative city disposal site. For a full list of alternate drop-off locations, please visit the ENV website the handsome hero of the 1960s television series "Dr Kildare" who found a second career as an award-winning "king of the miniseries," has died Chamberlain died Saturday night in Waimānalo "Our beloved Richard is with the angels now He is free and soaring to those loved ones before us," Martin Rabbett "How blessed were we to have known such an amazing and loving soul And our love is under his wings lifting him to his next great adventure." with classic good looks and romantic style Chamberlain became an instant favorite with teenage girls as the compassionate physician on the TV series that aired from 1961 to 1966 Photoplay magazine named him most popular male star for three years in a row Not until 2003 did he acknowledge publicly what Hollywood insiders had long known He made the revelation in his autobiography The actor became known as "king of the TV miniseries" in 1978 when he landed the starring role in "Centennial," an epic production 24 hours long and based on James Michener's sprawling novel He followed that in 1980 with "Shōgun," another costly epic miniseries based on James Clavell's period piece about an American visitor to Japan He scored his greatest miniseries success in 1983 with another long-form drama "The Thorn Birds," based on Colleen McCullough's best-seller a Roman Catholic priest in Australia who falls in love with beautiful Meggie Cleary (Rachel Ward) Chamberlain won Golden Globes for his work in "Shōgun" and "The Thorn Birds." Years earlier When the public began to lose interest in miniseries He appeared as Henry Higgins in a 1994 Broadway revival of "My Fair Lady" and as Captain von Trapp in a 1999 revival of "The Sound of Music." He reprised his role as de Bricassart in the 1996 TV movie "The Thorn Birds: The Missing Years." including "The Music Lovers" (as Tchaikovsky) "The Madwoman of Chaillot," "The Towering Inferno" and "The Three Musketeers" and its sequels The "Kildare" series was based on a string of successful 1930s and '40s films that had starred Lew Ayres in the title role all-American appearance made him an overnight star Another medical show that debuted the same season "Ben Casey," also was a smash and made its leading man The "Ben Casey shirt" became a fashion item both shows' theme songs made the pop Top 40 (the Kildare song performed by Chamberlain himself) and there was even a pop song called "Dr Chamberlain recounted how he was forced to hide his sexuality He would escort glamorous actresses to movie premieres and other public events at the request of studio executives and dodge reporters' questions about why he had never married with a stock reply: "Getting married would be great being a sissy or anything like that was verboten," he said in an NBC interview "I disliked myself intensely and feared this part of myself intensely and had to hide it." The book also described a troubled childhood and an alcoholic father and Chamberlain said that writing it finally lifted a heavy emotional burden He also expressed relief that he was no longer hiding his sexuality "I played a cat-and-mouse game with the press Born George Richard Chamberlain in Beverly Hills on March 31 the actor originally studied at Pomona College to be a painter where he had served as an infantry clerk in the Korean War and after appearing in guest roles in a handful of TV shows and in the 1960 film "The Secret of the Purple Reef," he won the Dr Kildare" was canceled he initially found it difficult to shake the image of the handsome young physician He moved to England for a time to find work and hone his acting skills he appeared in three of director Richard Lester's films "The Three Musketeers" (1973) and "The Four Musketeers" (1974) He reunited with Lester in 1989 for "The Return of the Musketeers," once more playing Aramis Chamberlain played the title role in "Hamlet" at England's Birmingham Repertory Company and repeated it in a TV adaptation that appeared on NBC in the United States He also appeared as Octavius in a film version of "Julius Caesar," which co-starred Charlton Heston and Jason Robards He continued to act well into the 21st century appearing on such television shows as "Will & Grace," "The Drew Carey Show" and "Touched by an Angel." a longtime Associated Press journalist who died in 2014 < Return to News & Info the Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) received a 911 call at 3:18 p.m and responded to a building fire at 41-162 Huli Street in Waimānalo with 9 units staffed with 34 personnel The first unit arrived on scene at 3:24 p.m to find a small single-story residential structure with heavy smoke and flames coming from the rear of the home.Fire fighters secured a water supply and initiated a defensive fire attack to protect adjacent exposures Bystanders reported that all occupants exited the involved fire structure Fire fighters performed a primary search in the adjacent homes and found no occupants inside The fire was brought under control at 3:49 p.m and fully extinguished at 4:02 p.m.The fire is under investigation to determine the origin and cause as well as to provide damage estimates An update will be sent out once the final investigation report is complete See more on our Facebook Page Jason SamalaDeputy Fire ChiefHope Kahu Kinai Ahi 636 South StreetHonolulu, HI 96813(808) 723-7139 the City and County of Honolulu officially announced its selection for the site of Oahu’s next landfill: an area northwest of Wahiawā which sits above the island’s water supply The selected site is on agricultural land owned by Dole Food Company located to the west of Kamehameha Highway and north of Paʻalaʻa Uka Pūpūkea Road This decision comes after the Department of Environmental Services has been considering new landfill locations for over a decade a law passed in 2020 by the Hawaii State Legislature which excludes using conservation lands for a landfill and requires a half-mile buffer between a landfill and residential properties Other laws stipulate the site can’t be in tsunami inundation areas which are mostly owned by the military and would require approval to be used Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi promised that the new landfill would not be located on the Waianae Coast citing equity and operational impact.  Blangiardi put together a committee to once again evaluate and select potential landfill sites The location northwest of Wahiawā was one of six sites selected in the City’s Landfill Advisory Committee’s 2022 report the Honolulu Board of Water Supply testified in 2021 that they did not support any site in the interior of Oahu where the underlying groundwater aquifer is not protected from landfill contaminants by caprock.  Blangiardi noted that the Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill in Nanakuli — in operation since 1989 — is also above the aquifer but has never leaked through its liner into subsurface soil and rocks.  “The City understands and acknowledges the public’s concerns and the absolute necessity to safeguard our island’s underground water supply aquifers against contamination,” said Roger Babcock the director of the City’s Department of Environmental Services “We will ensure aquifer protection by exceeding federal and state design standards for safe operations and regulations for monitoring solid waste landfills building instead to a higher level of protection that would typically only be required for the creation of a hazardous waste facility.” The City plans to use a multiple-barrier subsurface monitoring system to prevent the escape of pollutants from the landfill The design of the landfill will need approval from the state Department of Health.  “We are extremely confident that we can operate a landfill safely over the aquifer we are able to site our next landfill further away from where our residents live and where they receive medical care,” said Blangiardi sent a statement saying he was concerned about the selected site because it is above the island’s water supply.  “The City Administration's proposal to establish a landfill near Wahiawā presents a significant threat to the North Shore of Oahu's precious water supply,” said Quinlan “Landfills are known for leaking hazardous substances like PFAs which could permanently contaminate nearby wells and aquifers just minutes away in Waialua.” the mayor said he will have limited options for a new landfill site He said the City would be forced to ask the state legislature to amend Act 73 so that they could consider other sites that aren’t above the aquifer If the state legislature doesn’t amend the law then Blangiardi’s administration said it would be required to seek an extension of current landfill operations at Waimanalo Gulch A 2019 state Land Use Commission order requires the closure of the current landfill by March 2028 but the landfill could potentially be used until 2035 Blangiardi’s administration emphasized their opposition to extending operations at the current landfill.  released a statement Tuesday afternoon thanking the administration for selecting a new location signaling the upcoming closure of the Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill that is located in his community.  "I understand that this announcement may not be welcomed by everyone let me be clear: the Leeward Coast has endured the burden of hosting this landfill for decades — a landfill named after another community but placed in our backyard we have carried more than our fair share of this responsibility," he said "No matter where the new location is designated the Administration has an obligation to follow through and shut down the Waimānalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill Today's announcement reflects an overdue acknowledgment of that responsibility." Oahu generates about 1.2 million tons of recyclables and residential and commercial waste where metals are recovered and the remainder is burned for electricity About 225,000 tons of municipal solid waste and other special waste materials are disposed of at the landfill annually The City plans to use the new landfill for 20 years accepting the above along with the disposal of all construction and demolition waste which currently goes to the PVT landfill.  the City will begin discussions with the Honolulu Board of Water Supply and Dole The City will also start the process to get an Environmental Impact Statement Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii. Email her at michelle.brodervandyke@charter.com Department of Parks and Recreation Ka ʻOihana Mālama Pāka a me nā Hana Hoʻonanea Public meeting to discuss new comfort stations at Waimānalo Beach Park Pictured are the Existing comfort stations (bathroom buildings) at Waimānalo Beach Park: (bottom) Comfort Station A Following community concerns regarding the reconstruction of two comfort stations at Waimānalo Beach Park the City and County of Honolulu and the project’s consultant are inviting residents to discuss the options available for this park improvement project in the Waimānalo Public & School Library located within Waimānalo Elementary & Intermediate School the City and the project’s consultant (Architects Pacific Inc.) will detail the possibilities for the two comfort stations (bathroom buildings) located within the 37.56-acre park public meetings were held in June 2023 and February 2024 regarding this reconstruction effort along with additional improvement projects for the park’s Pahinui Pavilion and recreation building While the focus of this upcoming meeting will be the two comfort stations these pavilion and recreation building projects are progressing Following this upcoming meeting, copies of the options presented will be made available online at: bit.ly/WaimanaloBathrooms This link is currently populated with a copy of this notice We appreciate the collaboration and participation of community members engaging in these meetings If you need an auxiliary aid/service, other accommodations due to a disability, or an interpreter for a language other than English in reference to this announcement, please contact the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation at 808-768-3003 on weekdays from 7:45 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. or email parks@honolulu.gov at least three business days before the scheduled event it may not be possible to fulfill requests Copyright © 2025 Department of Parks and Recreation Hawaii American Water was fined $47,750 and ordered to take corrective action for discharging excessive levels of ammonia nitrogen into the ocean on multiple occasions the state Department of Health reported on Friday Hawaii American Water is a subsidiary of the New Jersey-based American Water which identifies itself as the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States According to a notice of violation and order issued by DOH Hawaii American Water discharged into the ocean effluent that exceeded National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit limits from its wastewater treatment plant near Sandy Beach 14 times between August 2022 and April 2024 The facility also failed to submit required written noncompliance reports on two occasions “Ammonia is derived from the breakdown of proteins and amino acids in wastewater,” said Kathleen Ho “High concentrations of ammonia can have toxic effects on aquatic organisms and contributes to excess nutrients in the water the discharge of ammonia above allowable limits into state waters is unacceptable.” government agencies and visitors are subject to environmental laws In its release are subject to environmental laws designed to protect Hawaii Failure to comply with water pollution laws may subject violators to monetary penalties of up to $60,000 per day Hawaii American Water filed a rate adjustment request with the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission for its Hawaii Kai Mauna Lani and Waimea wastewater service customers to cover $41 million in local wastewater infrastructure replacement and upgrades in all three districts Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com A new Oʻahu landfill will be placed northwest of Wahiawā on a pineapple field currently owned by Dole Food Company It will replace Waimanalo Gulch on the leeward coast The city had until the end of the year to select the new location as the state Land Use Commission ordered Waimanalo Gulch to close by 2028 Waimanalo Gulch landfill has been in operation since 1989 West Oʻahu also hosts the private construction and demolition landfill PVT which is slated to close in the next five to 10 years The new Oʻahu landfill will then need to absorb that trash as well most of the waste that goes into Waimanalo Gulch is ash from H-POWER The city was considering several sites that complied with the state law known as Act 73 which prohibits landfills from being located on conservation land and requires them to maintain a half-mile boundary from any school the Landfill Advisory Committee in 2022 urged the city not to select the Wahiawā location because it sits above Oʻahu’s aquifer system — the source of the island’s drinking water The Honolulu Board of Water Supply has previously come out against the location BWS Chief Engineer Ernie Lau said he looks forward to receiving more information from the Department of Environmental Services but warned against any actions that could threaten Oʻahu’s drinking water “ We did make comments two years ago actually not approving the location of landfills above our drinking water aquifer in accordance to our rules and regulations,” he said Potential threats to our water resources – of course Environmental Services Director Roger Babcock explained that there will be safeguards in place to protect the aquifer we’re 100% confident that we can design and operate the next landfill on this site and ensure protection of the underground aquifer from contamination as well as protect the communities and businesses in central Oʻahu," he said two-liner systems to prevent the passage of water Those systems consist of one liner of plastic impermeable to water and then another clay liner There will be a chamber where the  leachate is continuously collected and pumped to the surface to the wastewater plant Babcock explained there will be a second system underneath it as a safeguard if the first system fails “ We'll be installing a system that will allow us to continuously monitor the integrity of the liner system and if a problem is ever detected we would be able to take corrective actions,” Babcock said was concerned about the mayor’s location choice “ I'm disappointed and concerned and the decision again This is an island-wide issue and protecting our drinking water should be our top priority," Weyer said " I do have concerns when we throw out numbers like 100% sure Because when we look at just the potential impacts we want to be transparent and honest with the community." said the new landfill could be an opportunity to get more green waste disposal for people who live near there “ We don't look at this as a negative,” Awa said what’s possible and how can we use this piece of land to solve some community problems.” Mayor Rick Blangiardi acknowledged that there were no universally accepted sites to place the landfill "If there was a path that the whole island supported then that is the path that we would have chosen," Blangiardi said "But it wasn’t that simple because the path simply does not exist." the city has considered several sites that violated Act 73 and was exploring trying to get the state law amended to use one of those locations instead of those that are above Oʻahu’s aquifer system City Managing Director Mike Formby said they have been talking with state legislators about the topic but did not make a firm decision on whether they would continue pursuing an amendment to the state law In the past, the city said it would take at least seven years to close Waimanalo Gulch and open a new landfill but Babcock said it may be possible to meet the 2028 closure deadline so we're on record with the Land Use Commission for those numbers…  that on average it takes quite a few years in order to open construct and open and permit a new landfill,” Babcock said Assuming everything goes smoothly with purchase and with construction It is a very easy site and has good access It's theoretically possible that it could happen  There's too many unknowns to figure out what a better timeline is at this point.” the city estimated that it would cost about $200 million to construct a new landfill There were no estimates available for the cost of closing Waimanalo Gulch Babcock said the city just awarded a contract to a consultant to evaluate all closed landfills on Oʻahu and what they could be used for in the future The city will next have to work on acquiring the parcel from landowner Dole Foods Blangiardi said he has made initial contact with the company’s "top guy" wrote in an email Wednesday that the location was selected without Dole’s involvement or prior consultation “The planned location near Wahiawā directly impacts Dole’s primary pineapple farming operations posing significant challenges to both state agricultural priorities and our business,” he said “Dole is committed to collaborating with city officials to explore more suitable options.” Babcock said the city will begin in-depth discussions with Dole on the site and other portions of their properties that are suitable."If the discussions do not result in a willing sale the city will determine whether or not to pursue an eminent domain purchase," he wrote in an emailed response HONOLULU – The Department of Environmental Services (ENV) reminds residents refuse collection workers will not be collecting refuse 2025 – in observance of both Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.  These are the only two holidays observed by ENV refuse employees throughout the year and Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill will be closed Christmas Day (Dec Hawaii — The Hawaii Department of Agriculture inspected Pua Lani Landscape Design twice after the Waimanalo landscaping business was embroiled in a Little Fire Ants controversy LFA were not found in any plants at the company’s Waimanalo nursery but the pests were found on the perimeter of the property On May 7, Greg Culver, president of Pua Lani, released a statement saying his company was being used “as a scapegoat to distract from the State’s inability to manage Little Fire Ants on a statewide basis.” Culver also said the HDOA has no evidence connecting his landscaping company to the LFA at the Punahou Carnival.  LFA are tiny ants with extremely painful stings LFA have become widespread throughout the state after first being discovered on Hawaii Island 25 years ago.  The HDOA’s first inspection of Pua Lani took place on May 10 “with the full cooperation of the nursery,” according to a news release HDOA’s inspectors placed 630 bait vials about 10-feet apart across the company’s 4-acre nursery.  Little Fire Ants were not found in plants in the production area LFA were found in some areas along the perimeter of the nursery and near a storage structure The nursery then treated those areas with an approved pesticide A follow-up inspection was conducted on May 20 Inspectors focused on the perimeter this time finding only one spot on the edge of the property near a stream that had LFA.  HDOA provided Spectrum News Hawaii with the following maps of the surveys:  Inspectors also surveyed the area across the stream HDOA said it would follow up with‌ the landowners on the opposite side of the stream and other surrounding properties.  HDOA will inspect Pua Lani’s nursery again in about a month.  greenhouse or potting areas," Pua Lani said in an email to Spectrum News Hawaii.  "Our nursery is surrounded by fallow land and a state-owned stream," Pua Lani continued "Most people realize that the fallow lands in agricultural areas do have LFA We have a program in place to constantly treat our perimeter areas We also have no plant materials located within 25-feet of our property's perimeters When the HDOA personnel were last at the property they rechecked the perimeter areas and found no LFA They also checked the stream areas because of the recent heavy rains and flooding last week and weekend The HDOA did find LFA on the stream banks that had come down the stream from properties farther up toward the mountain." After HDOA found LFA on the bank of the stream Pua Lani said they treated the area to control the LFA from coming onto their nursery property.  Keohokalole released a statement Wednesday: “It is encouraging to hear that the HDOA and Pua Lani are finally working together It should not have taken four months and a Senate investigation to get here.” Editor's note: This story was updated to include two maps of the survey areas at Pua Lani provided by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture Hawaii — The DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife worked with the Albizia Project to cut down more than 1,000 invasive trees — mostly albizia and gunpowder trees — that will be used to make 28 hale for the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture the world’s largest celebration of indigenous Pacific Islanders.  The invasive trees were harvested from the Nation of Hawaii a 45-acre parcel in Waimanalo that Hawaiian activists have managed since 1994 When the Hawaiian activists first acquired the land but over the years they have reworked the land and now grow traditional Hawaiian crops parts of the land are still filled with overgrown areas so clearing the trees helped the Nation of Hawaii to restore ancient footpaths terraces and lo‘i that have long been concealed DLNR brought in koa seedlings and other native plants to propagate at Pu‘uhonua O Waimanalo With the harvested logs, Albizia Project founder Joey Valenti and his crew assembled the 28 hale then disassembled them and put the logs on pallets to be transported to the Hawaii Convention Center where a Festival Village will be built for FestPAC.  “These lightweight hale structures are specifically designed to be transported and erected quickly for the event,” said Valenti you would use a much more selective species if you're expecting a structure to last 30 years or so Installation crews will only have two days to put together all 28 hale Architects Hawaii Limited designed the prefabricated hale so that each one could be assembled in under an hour Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii. Email her at michelle.brodervandyke@charter.com